title: Sinonasal and sino-orbital aspergillosis in 23 cats: aetiology, clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes.
abstract: Aetiology, clinicopathological findings and treatment outcomes were documented in 23 cats (1.5-13 years of age) with sinonasal (SNA, n=6) or sino-orbital (SOA, n=17) aspergillosis. Cases recruited retrospectively and prospectively were included if fungal hyphae were identified on cytological or histological examination and the fungal pathogen was identified by PCR and DNA sequencing (ITS1 or ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 regions, rDNA gene cluster). Fungal culture was positive in 22/23 cases. In cases of SNA, the fungal pathogen was Aspergillus fumigatus (n=4), Neosartorya fischeri or A. lentulus (n=1) or a non-speciated Neosartorya spp. (n=1). In all cases of SOA (n=17), the fungal pathogen was identified as Neosartorya spp. Nine cats had brachycephalic conformation. Cats with SNA were more likely to be infected with A. fumigatus and had a better prognosis than cats with SOA.
authors.affiliation: Valentine Charlton Cat Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia. vanessa.barrs@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Barrs
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Halliday
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krockenberger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gunew
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koehlmeyer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fliegner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hocking
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sleiman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beatty
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D055326:Neosartorya / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome